Exhaust-regulating valve for pneumatic player-actions.



E. 0. HISCOCK.

EXHAUST REGULATING VALVE FOR PNEUMATIC PLAYER ACTIONS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 2, 1910.

1,051,406. V Patented Jan.28,1913.

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EMORY C. HISCOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T W. W. KIMBALL COMPANY,-

OF GHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

EXHAUST-REGULATING VALVE F018, Pl TE'UM-ATIC ELAYER ACTIONS.

Application filed March 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMORY C. HISCOCIL a citizen of the United States, residing at A Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exhaustllegulating Valves for Pneumatic Player-Actions, of which the following'is a specification. This invention relates to pneumatic act-ions for mechanical piano players, and has reference more particularly to an improved .vent regulating valve. As is well known, in mechanisms of this character there is commonly employed a vent-regulating valve controlling the exhaust effect of the main exhaust chamber or chest. upon the tracker range and upon one side of a diaphragm, the opposite side of which is in constant communication with the main exhaust chamber and actuates a valve controlling the alternate communication of the atmosphere and the exhaust with the interior of the action-bellows. Heretofore these vent regulating valves, of which there is one for 5 each pneumatic, have commonly consisted.

of a needle valve formed with a threaded stem or shank and a screw-head for purposes of nice adjusti'nent. It has been found,

. 'however, that Where such a. valve is screwed into a wooden wall, or, as is sometimes done,

' is screwed into the threaded bore of a metallic holder creasing itself set into the" causes tending to accidental or automatic misadjustment; and the mannerin. and means by, which these objects are etferted will be readily understood from a consideration of the accompanying drawing. taken in connection with the following description thereof, setting forth one particular mechanical"embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l designates a vertical section through the primary Specificationcf Letters Eatent.

v Patented Jan. 28, 1913. i 1910. semi No. 546,309.

exhaust chest, underlying diaphragm chamber, and the tracker range of a wellknown form of-piano player. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail side elevation and top plan views of a valve-seat member interposed in the :connection between the atmosphere and the act-ionbellows; and Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, side elevational and end views of the holder or casing of my improved valve."

Referring to the. drawing, 10 designates the main exhaust chamber or chest, above which pipes 11 lead t-o the usual tracker range 12 .of the instrument. Each pipe 11 connects with a vertical duct 13 formed through the back wall ofthe exhaust chest 10, said duct 13, communicating with a horizontal duct 14 in the forwardly ext-endin bottom wall of the exhaust chamber 10, and the duct 14: communicating-with avertical duct 15, the lower end of which latter communicates, by a short inwardly extending duct- 16, with the lower side of a diaphragm 17 mounted in the'bottom of a diaphragm chamber 18, which latter is subject to the same degree of vacuum as that existing in the exhaust chamber 10. Mounted on the diaphragm 17 is a T-shaped valve 19 which extends upwardly into a valve chamber 20 above the diaphragm chamber 18 and cooperates alternately with lower and upper valve seats 21 and 22 at the lower and upper ends of said valve chamber 20, respectively. The stem of the valve 19 is hollow and is guided on av vertical pin 23 depending from the upper annular valve seat 22. From the valve chamber 20 a duct 2-1 leads directlv intothe action-bellows 25; while, when tlfe valve 19 is withdrawn from its upper seat 22, the upper end of the valve chamber 20 is in free communication with the atmosphere through said hollow valve seat and a horizontal duct 26 lying between the ducts 14; and 24.

The front wall of the exhaust chest. 10 has a series of vertical ducts 27 that communicate at their lower ends with the ducts l-l. Mounted in'lthe front wall of the exhaust chest 10 and intersecting each of the vertical ducts 27 is ahollow valve holder or casing 28 of a generally cylindrical form having a head 25), a threaded bore. and a substantially central circumferential groove 30 lying in the vertical plane of the duct 27. with one or more radial holes 31 forming a communication lri'tVQOIl the groove 30 and 0 the interior the valve holder. This latter is also formed Witha contracted portion forming an internal valve seat 32 at its.

'bore of the valve holder or casing 28. This valve holder is, in accordance with my in ventlon, made in one piece of hard rubber, or what 1sknown as hard rubber eo1npos1- tion, since I have determined by experiments thatithismaterial is free from contraction and expansion at ordinary room, temperatures to any such extent as to displace the valve from correct adjustment, and it also grips the stem or shank of the valve under a high degree of friction, and thus prevents accidental turning of the valve therein, which is important, since the least turning of the valve will throw it out t proper adjustment, and the proper regulation of these valves is a matter of extreme nicety, requiring long experience and great skill on the part of the operator thereof. Preferably, and as herein shown, the outer surface of the body of the valve holder is toothed or milled, as shown at 35 (Figs. 4 and 5), to prevent accidental turning of the valve holder itself in the wall in which it is mounted.

l'n player pianos, the mechanism of the pneumatic action herein shown is usuall mounted in such a way that the removal of the upper Front panel of the piano ease exposes the front wall of the main exhaust chest or chamber 10, whereby easy access is afiorded to the valves 34 for adjustment without requiring removal of the pneumatic action-or any further dismantling of the piano case. As above stated, the hard rubber composition of which the valve holder is made, by reason ofits elasticity and high frictional character, and its freedom from objectionable expansion and contraction under the variations in ordinary room temperature, insures the retention of the valves in correct position when .once adjusted.

I claim:

1. A vent valve mechanism for pneumatic player actions, comprising a hollow cylindrical one piece valve holder of hard rubber composition formed with an internal valve seat, a threaded bore, and a radial aperture communicating with said bore, and

a needle valve having a threaded shank engaging the threaded bore of said holder and adjustable toward and from said valve seat, substantially as described.

2. A vent valve mechanism'for pneumatic player actions, comprising a hollow cylindrical valve holder of hard rubber composition formed with an internal valve seat, a threaded bore, a circumferential groove, and a radial aperture connecting said groove and bore, and a needle valve having a threaded shank engaging the threaded bore of said holder, and adjustable toward and from said valve seat, substantially as described.

'EMORY C. HISCOCK. \Vitnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, Lois Fonon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

